The Town of Virden budget is first of two public hearings
The first of two Town of Virden financial public hearings will take place next week, May 28, where the 2020 budget will be presented. The second public hearing within the space of one week, on June 2, will introduce the new well.
Town of Virden financial plan will be presented at Sunrise Banquet Hall in Tundra Oil and Gas Place on May 28.
The public may attend in person to both of these hearings within this large venue, although virtual links are also available. Council will be on hand to hear presentations, questions or objections from ratepayers.
Copies of the proposed financial plan will be available by May 25, on the web: www.virden.ca or you can call the Town Office for more information.
Questions and remarks can be sent in ahead of time to the chief administrative officer, or by email to [email protected].
Those who want to attend the hearing virtually should contact the Town of Virden office by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27.
The public is invited to hear about new costs for water
Virden has been searching for a new, higher quality water source for about a year. Now a site has been found and ratepayers will have a chance to hear the details and have their say about the $3 million project.
With monthly water tests showing arsenic levels exceeding Manitoba Drinking Water standards, it was determined that the town needed to find a water source free of arsenic.
The two existing wells in the Assiniboine River Valley, just about six kms east of town, have naturally occurring arsenic that even a double filtration system does not remove sufficiently to meet drinking water standards.
At a public hearing to be held at Sunrise banquet hall at TOG on the evening of Tuesday, June 2, the public is invited to ask questions, comment upon or object to the project that they will be asked to pay for.
The town expects to receive provincial government funding for at least $1.5 million, half the cost.
Virden ratepayers could expect a 0.65 mill increase to pay for the other half of the new water project, which includes the well and the pipeline. For a property assessed at $300,000, the additional .65 mills would mean about $87.
The existing two Virden wells are older and have required servicing of late. On Monday, May 11 the town was put on notice to limit their water use as the pump in the west-most well had to be pulled and replaced. The notice was lifted four days later on Friday.
Information on Virden’s website says the existing wells supply about 37 litres per second. Water is lifted to the treatment plant where there is a reservoir storage of 2,000 cubic metres of water. The water tower in the middle of Virden, capacity 400 cu. metres, provides firefighting capabilities and consistent pressure should there be a power failure.
Virden’s distribution system consists mainly of 150 mm diameter cast iron water mains, with newer sections in PVC, and services approximately 3,300 residents and approximately 1,500 connections.
